History ~ Myth ~ Culture

This book has been written for practicing teachers as well as for parents with an interest in history and education. It encompasses an approach to history instruction that is appropriate to the various age levels from grades 5 through 12, and a view of history based on Rudolf Steiner’s symptomalogical approach. I think that anyone who reads it will find themselves inspired and energized in there preparation of history lessons, whether for students in a classroom or at home.

Teaching with the Fables is so much bigger on the inside than it looks to be on the outside. It is the finest book I have ever seen on the topic of Waldorf teaching, and hands-down the best, fullest, and most beautiful exposition of the fables and what they can become to a child of about 8 years old (2nd grade).

There is no question about Main Lesson teaching in general (not just for 2nd grade), it's rhythms and wherefores, its content and delivery that is not answered in this priceless gem. That the book itself is beautiful and also includes instruction for painting, sculpting and acting these timeless fables makes it one of the most valuable gifts ever to be put forth in the interest of our children. I am both moved and heartened that such a book now exists -- for surely, it has been hoped for by many for a very long time.

Sieglinde includes 3 extended fables with poems, illustrations and suggestions for additional lesson work. Here you can learn how to:

extend a fable into a full, engaging story

illustrate a fable with crayons and water colors

write a poem about the fable or its characters

create a play or puppet show about the fable

sculpt the fable characters with wax or clay

create a natural science lesson around a fable

Teaching with the Fables brings to the door of every teacher and homeschooler everything you need to share the beauty and joy of the fables with the 2nd graders in your care. Beyond that, it offers a lifetime of teaching wisdom and technique. It is truly a treasure.

This is a valuable study of a mythology that has as much to do with the future of human evolution as it does with these old stories of the Norse gods. Uehli moves systematically through the major figures in this ancient saga, reflecting on the deeper meaning and showing why they are so valuable for children, especially those in the fourth grade. It will provide insight for teachers, parents, and other adults who hope to answer some of the life questions of today.

At first sight, the Norse stories appear to be a weird and wonderful collection of tales, illogical in sequence and with no coherent theme. . . . However that may be, there is in the Norse stories a great depth of knowledge and, fragmentary as they are, they are probably relics of old Mystery wisdom. They present a picture of evolution, of the creation and development of the human being and his connection with higher beings; they show the human being's struggle with adverse powers, the fading of the old world conception and the birth of the ego which leads to new powers of perception.

- Roy Wilkinson

Contains 28 stories, beautifully retold, with commentary by the author.

Yet another gift to teachers, parents and students from Charles Kovacs!

Stories of gods and demons, noble heroes and epic adventures from the world's great myths and legends, retold for children. Through colorful characters such as Buddha, Krishna, Zarathustra, Gilgamesh, Isis and Osiris, mankind's development from hunters of wild animals to builders of magnificent cities and the great pyramids springs to life. Beyond the historical narrative the stories reveal an ancient wisdom: the timeless source and substance out of which all myths and legends are woven.

Charles Kovacs told these stories to his Grade 5 students when he taught at the Edinburgh Rudolf Steiner School. Although he intended them as source material for teachers and parents of Waldorf School Children, the stories have a universal appeal for children and adults, beginning at about age 9.

Ancient Greece

Charles Kovacs

A Retelling of Greek Mythology and History According to the Waldorf Approach for Grades 5 & 6

Told by a master class teacher, the myths and history in Ancient Greece open the doors to an understanding of the heart of Ancient Greek culture and life. These are stories that are sure to stay with students throughout their lives, the sort of tales that will come back to the adult time and time again. Charles Kovacs did a masterful job in the retelling of each story, and covered well the various aspects of the Fifth Grade curriculum on Ancient Greece.

Contains 54 stories in the areas of Greek Mythology, The Argonauts, Perseus, The Twelve Labours of Heracles, Theseus, Greek History, Alexander the Great.

This book—written especially for Waldorf teachers—includes the most exciting stories of Roman history: the founding of Rome; early battles with Carthage and Hannibal; Julius Caesar and the conquests of Gaul and Britain; Antony and Cleopatra; and the decline and fall under the Huns and the beginning of the "Dark Ages."

Ancient Rome is recommended for Steiner-Waldorf curriculum class six (eleven to twelve year-olds).

The History curriculum for 5th and 6th grades in a Waldorf school follows the thread of development of the post-Atlantean cultures through Ancient India, Persia, Egypt and Chaldea, Greece and Rome. This provides a picture of the changing human consciousness from ancient clairvoyance to the loss of spiritual vision and, with it, the awakening of independent awareness and materialism. Wilkinson guides the teacher to a deeper understanding of the spiritual significance of mythologies and great epics, and shows how the ancient world points the way to the future.

In the History curriculum for 7th and 8th Grades in a Waldorf school, the focus is on the developing individual human biography and consciousness, from the Renaissance and Age of Discovery to the great upheavals and new inventions in modern times. At any given time there are both backward-looking and forward-looking elements. This books follows a timeline through the history of Europe and North America. References suggest ways to weave in similar material from other cultures. These can also be included in Geography and Literature studies if the History period allotment is too confining.

Age of Rationalism - Thirty Years' War, Louis XIV, Civil War in England, Russia, and America, Science and Culture, Prussia (Frederick the Great), Industrial Revolution, Colonization, American War of Independence, French Revolution (8th Grade)

The rhythms of the Earth can be seen, for example, in the daily cycle of day and night and in the yearly seasonal changes. Rudolf Steiner spoke of how Christian festivals such as Easter, Pentecost (or Whitsun), and Christmas fit not into only these patterns, but also into the macrocosmic rhythms of the cosmos and into the microcosmic human rhythms.

In this concise, readable volume, Charles Kovacs explores the structure of our calendar year and considers in detail the background to the various Christian festivals, including less popular St. John's Tide and Michaelmas.

The Spiritual Background to Christian Festivals offers inspiring insights into why we worship and celebrate at particular times, as well as discussions of the deep spiritual significance of the Christian year.